In our age, sinful self-promotion is the rite of worship. This is seen especially as we look out for ourselves in interpersonal conflicts and as we relate to those who wish to harm us. But for kingdom citizens, we are called to follow Christ in showing mercy to people who insult us and giving grace to those who hate us.

The heart conjures up a lot of images, from Valentine's day to cultural phrases like "follow your heart" to even heartburn from buffalo chicken dip. But Biblically speaking, the heart is the governing center of a person and in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:21-37, the law is meant to shape the heart. Rather than being an unbearable yoke, Christ fulfills the law, giving us a new heart, so that we are empowered to obey. Because of Jesus, our actions will reflect our new hearts.

The flourishing life of a kingdom citizen through humility, hunger, and hospitality must be visible to the world. This is the point Jesus makes in Matthew 5:13-20 as he follows the Beatitudes. Kingdom living is not just internal, it is external; it results in a public witness anchored in the work of Jesus.

Having just begun the ministry of the kingdom, Jesus gives His followers kingdom ethics or what it looks like to be a kingdom citizen in Mathew 5. These beatitudes are blessings intended to provide the Christian with a pathway to a flourishing life.

What does it mean to follow Jesus? It means that we have accepted the gift of repentance but not without a heavy, glorious cost. This is seen at the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry in Matthew 4, where He calls the Gentiles to repent and His disciples to follow in His example.

Throughout our lives, we are caught up in different rhythms. In John the Baptist's identification of Jesus in John 1:29-42, we are invited into the rhythms of living by faith.

In the early account of Matthew's gospel in chapter 2, one thing is clear: Jesus is king. From the wise men's response to creation's herald, because Jesus is King we treat him like King.

Life doesn't always go the way we expect it to, just ask Mary and Joseph in Matthew 2:13-23. But as God preserved and protected Jesus, we are called to trust that God will preserve and protect us in our sin and suffering.

The arrival of Jesus brings the love, joy, hope, and peace we have been longing for. When we encounter our true king, we can't help but proclaim the good news.

Christmas is all around us. From lights to nativity scenes, there’s a sense in which we can become all too familiar with Christmas. The familiar glories of texts like Jesus' birth can become tiresome instead of wonderous. But, the birth of Jesus is anything but tiring. Matthew 1:18-25 is a text that reminds us of the reason for Christmas: that Jesus came to save us from the penalty and power of sin to forgiveness and freedom.